Video showing deputies pinning Irvo Otieno before his death becomes public

DINWIDDIE, Va. — 

A group of sheriff’s deputies and different unit astatine a Virginia intelligence infirmary forcibly pinned diligent Irvo Otieno to nan crushed until he was motionless and limp, past began unsuccessful resuscitation efforts, according to recently obtained surveillance video.

The video, which was obtained done a nexus included successful nationalist tribunal filings, shows nan workers pressing down connected a prone handcuffed and shackled Otieno. His decease March 6 while being admitted to Central State Hospital has led to second-degree execution charges against 7 deputies and 3 infirmary workers.

Relatives of nan 28-year-old Otieno, a Black man, were shown nan video past week by a prosecutor, Dinwiddie Commonwealth’s Atty. Ann Cabell Baskervill, who said astatine 1 constituent that she planned to publically merchandise it Tuesday. But attorneys for astatine slightest 2 of nan defendants sought to artifact its release, arguing it could inhibit a adjacent trial.

Otieno was brought to nan infirmary southbound of Richmond, which provides psychiatric care, aft he spent respective days successful rule enforcement custody.

The video, which has nary sound, shows a shackled and handcuffed Otieno being led into a room pinch tables and chairs. He is hauled toward a spot earlier yet slumping to nan floor.

An expanding number of workers laic their hands connected him arsenic he appears to commencement to move connected nan floor. At 1 point, it appears arsenic galore arsenic 10 group are pressing down connected his body. Otieno’s assemblage is difficult to spot astatine times, obscured by nan labor connected apical of him aliases because nan camera perspective is blocked by personification standing.

The crowd steps backmost from his body, which appears limp. Resuscitation efforts yet begin.

Final autopsy findings person not yet been released, though Baskervill has said successful tribunal that Otieno was smothered to death.

The charismatic charged nan 10 defendants done a process known arsenic a criminal information. Baskervill said nan lawsuit will beryllium presented to a expansive assemblage “for a last determination of charges.” A expansive assemblage was to meet Tuesday morning, tribunal records show.

Several defendants besides had either bail hearings aliases a proceeding dealing pinch nan assignment of counsel.

The Associated Press sought remark connected nan video from defense attorneys for each of nan defendants who person obtained counsel. None instantly responded to emails aliases telephone calls.

Douglas Ramseur, who represents 1 of nan infirmary employees, told nan Washington Post — which first obtained nan footage — he was concerned nan tribunal filing pinch nan video nexus was made “with nan volition of making nan accusation disposable to nan media and nationalist aft having received a mobility by nan defense seeking to forestall conscionable specified a disclosure.

“We are considering each our ineligible remedies,” Ramseur wrote successful an email, nan newspaper reported.

Otieno’s family said astatine a news convention past week after seeing nan footage, which they called heartbreaking and disturbing. They person equated his curen to torture and called connected nan U.S. Department of Justice to intervene successful nan case.

The family is being represented by Benjamin Crump, a salient civilian authorities lawyer who besides represented nan family of George Floyd. Crump has said Otieno’s curen has adjacent parallels pinch Floyd’s execution successful constabulary custody successful Minneapolis successful 2020.

“When we deliberation astir nan tragic sidesplitting of George Floyd, you say, ‘Why would anybody, why would immoderate rule enforcement officer, put a knee connected nan cervix of a personification who is look down, handcuffed and restrained?’” Crump said astatine a news convention past week. “Would anybody not person capable communal consciousness to say, ‘We’ve seen this movie before’?”

Another lawyer for nan family, Mark Krudys, didn’t respond to a petition for remark Monday.

Otieno was 4-years-old erstwhile his family immigrated to nan U.S. from Kenya. He grew up successful suburban Richmond and began dealing pinch intelligence wellness issues during his past twelvemonth of precocious school, his mother has said.

He was experiencing intelligence distress astatine nan clip of his first brushwood pinch rule enforcement earlier this month, according to this family. That group disconnected a concatenation of events that led to his spending respective days successful custody, first astatine a section infirmary and past astatine a jail, earlier his decease astatine nan authorities hospital.

While Otieno was successful jail, he was denied entree to needed medications, nan family’s attorneys said. The family besides viewed video from nan jailhouse Thursday, which they said showed Otieno was subjected to further brutality by unidentified officers. That video has not been made available.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has said nan lawsuit is simply a grim reminder of why nan state’s intelligence wellness strategy “needs translator astatine each level.” He has besides called connected nan nationalist to respect nan ongoing judicial process.